


Heaving Through Corrupted Lungs

by gaylawyersappreciation



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28870071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaylawyersappreciation/pseuds/gaylawyersappreciation
Summary: Ten months Carlos waited in the underground bomb shelter. Ten months, and what is he faced with? A pretty pissed off Akane, considering how this was the timeline Radical-6 was released. Once more, Carlos will play the waiting game, this time attempting to not only save the lives of Akane and Junpei, but six billion people as well.[AKA: Carlos helps with the AB game AU/Carlos is K AU. Sigma is a good father, extra Kyle and Luna content, Quark is cute, old grandpas falling in love, and Sigma drinks his respect women juice.]
Relationships: Carlos & Sigma Klim, Carlos/Kurashiki Akane, Carlos/Kurashiki Akane/Tenmyouji Junpei, Carlos/Tenmyouji Junpei, Diana/Sigma Klim, Kyle Klim & Kurashiki Akane, Kyle Klim & Luna, Seven & Tenmyouji Junpei
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

When Carlos watched those cheesy 'apocalypse' movies back in his apartment while relaxing after a long day of work, he never put much thought into them. Maybe a passing 'i could've done that' or offhanded critiques of the characters actions, but he didn't actually care about it. It was just some TV show, a cheap budget movie, nothing to bat an eye at- all it was? A work of fiction that _surely_ would never apply to him.  
On January 1st, 2029, he proved himself wrong. He had just spent ten months stuck inside the abandoned bomb shelter the Decision Game was held in, waiting for that fateful New Year's eve where he could finally make good on his promise to save Akane and Junpei. Ten months of sheer, anxious agony, but it was worth it- until the looks on Akane and Junpei's faces said it all.  
"Do you know what happened because of you?" Junpei exclaimed, clearly exasperated. Carlos did not.  
"Mira and Eric _died._ Sigma _lost his arms and an eye-"_  
"And that's not all." Akane cut him off, becoming increasingly panicked as she spoke. She was got at hiding it, but not good enough to fool Carlos.  
"Zero said the first Radical-6 patients had escaped." Carlos couldn't look Akane in the eye. He was sure, however, that if he could, she would be holding back tears. Her voice choked up, yet serious as ever, she continued.  
"It's too late. We can't stop the spread of the virus."  
"What happened today is going to result in _six billion_ people..." she didn't need to finish her sentence. Carlos couldn't face either of them. He was feeling so many emotions right about then, and none of them were pleasant in the slightest. He wanted to cry, he wanted to throw up he wanted to pull them into a hug and apologize for the rest of history.  
If Akane or Junpei were saying anything, he couldn't hear them speak. All he could hear was screaming, cries of pain and mourning and regret, all echoing echoing in his head. The pain was deafening. His ears were ringing, and soon enough, there was pressure on his knees. He was too out of it to understand what was happening, but for a while all he could do was breathe, and even that wasn't going well. His vision was blurred, limbs numb, the dry cool of the desert night sending shivers down his spine.  
_**Six billion deaths.**_  
"Carlos. Snap the hell out of it!" He was quite literally shaken back to his senses by an understandably pissed off Junpei, who's hands were on his shoulders. It took him a few more minutes to calm down, but once he did, he heard Akane talking to herself.  
"This is the end. I have to start over from the beginning..."  
"Start over?" It was breathy, weak, but there. He had to say something. Carlos didn't understand Akane at all normally, but now, especially with the added stress. Completely over his head.  
_Dammit, Carlos. Calm down._  
"We'll start now, and spend the next 45 years preparing for our plan." We? Our?  
"You've got a plan? Already?"  
"In 45 years, Sigma and Phi's conciousnesses will be called to the future. We have to do it, or those six billion..." she trailed off into a mumble, determinedly staring at the heard of ambulances about a quarter mile off.  
"Then let me help you, Akane," just as determined as his fiancée. "Let me join Crash Keys, or whatever you two are calling it."  
"I can't do that. I'm sorry, Junpei, but there are some things you need to forget. I'm really sorry."  
"What?"  
With a loud _"FUCK,"_ Junpei fell to the elevator floor, collapsing in a loud t _hud._ Carlos didn't manage to react in time to catch him, but the moment he was able to, Junpei's head was in his arms, Carlos checking for any signs of concussion or anything similar.  
"Akane, what the hell was that?" Akane was standing over Junpei, quivering slightly, but was unwavering in determination. Her bracelet was in her hand, needles outstretched like the claws of the world's most dangerous cat.  
"No... no, you can't be- why?" Junpei was trying to remain conscious. Conveniently for Akane, he wasn't doing a good job at it.  
"Junpei, I will never forget you. I will wait for you, I promise. I will see you again, but please. I need you to forget this. Just a few minutes."  
"I can't. I don't want to. I will never forget. No matter what happens, I wi-" He was cut off the anesthetic kicking in. Now it was just Carlos, Akane, and tension so thick Carlos could cut it with a knife.  
"Why? Akane, why would you do that? You need his help-"  
"No, Carlos. I need yours. Listen to me carefully." Carlos could hear the paramedics in the background. They had started to realize the three of them were, in fact, alive.  
"We don't have too much time, alright? Go back to your apartment with Junpei once you're both discharged. Next week, a large sum of money will be on your doorstep, courtesy of my brother and I. Use it to pay for Maria's hospital bill, as well as your own and Junpei's. With whatever is left, I need you to buy food with. Non-perishable food- the longer it lasts, the better, and most importantly: On April 13th, I need you to get as far away from big cities as possible. If you need a place to go, you know how to get back here, and you know how to get back inside. I'll be giving you more instructions soon, okay?"  
It was a lot to take in. His head was spinning- all he could do was nod.  
"Hey, you two! What are you doing here? Diana said there were only three people left." A paramedic had made her way to the platform, assessing the situation. Akane had conveniently dropped her bracelet and kicked it away.  
"Long story," Carlos didn't really know what else to say looking at Junpei as he spoke. "I know you have to take us all in, but I can promise you, she's completely fine and he is as well, if not a little concussed. Shaken up, but fine." His firefighter voice was back, the one that he used to assert dominance over a situation, but not wanting to be overpowering. He hadn't used that in a long time.  
"Yourself?" She asked, radioing for backup to get someone else to help her move Junpei- Carlos took a step closer in attempts to signal that he was able to offer said help.  
"Relatively unharmed, but somewhat malnourished and dehydrated." It was better to be honest. He couldn't deal with whatever Akane needed if he was in this sorry state.  
"You both can walk?" Two nods.  
"Actually, would you all be alright, could I ride in the same ambulance as him? He's my fiancé." She had no problem with that, and so the three of them headed off to begin their long journey to Las Vegas.  
_Carlos had regrets. Knowing Akane couldn't see Junpei for the next 45 years was one of them- but all he could do was play along and hope for the best, and so he did just that._


	2. Chapter 2

_ -The Moon, September 20th, 2069- _

Frank Sinatra's 'Fly Me to The Moon' was playing from a jukebox in the corner of the lounge. Akane and Sigma were dancing along to the music, Akane humming the familiar melody with a nostalgic smile. The room was entirely silent apart from the music, the shuffling of their feet, Akane's humming, and a quiet, everlasting buzz from the fluorescent lights. 

_ Knock knock. _

"Akane?" The dancing stopped. In the doorway, a man in his mid 70's. His face was worn, tanned from years of fighting fires and traversing the spans of the Nevada Desert. His voice was gravelly from decades of smoke inhalation, his hair a speckled dash of salt and pepper, but his eyes were as young and bright as ever. 

"Carlos!" Akane broke off from Sigma and threw herself at him, tears dotting her eyes. 

"I've missed you, Akane, Doctor Klim. Where are Kyle and Luna?" His voice was muffled from burying his head in Akane's shoulder.

"Downstairs in the rec room. Are you going to go see them?" The doctor wouldn't show it, but he was just as excited to see as old friend as Akane was.

"Of course. I've missed those kids so much the past while." Carlos wasn't ready to leave just yet, so the three of them stood in comfortable silence for a while, just embracing the moment. 

The jukebox faded to silence, and it seemed like as good a time as any for Carlos to make his leave. With a shake of Sigma's hand and a quick hug, Carlos walked the familiar tro down from the lounge to the Rec Room, where a separate jukebox was playing music his parents used to listen to. He was confident some of those songs were turning into centennials pretty soon, but they still held up. Inside the rec room, as promised, Luna and Kyle were playing pool, laughing and smiling in a way that reminded Carlos of growing up with Maria. 

"Bohemian Rhapsody? Damn, didn't know Dr. Klim managed to salvage records that old."

"Uncle Carlos!"

"Hello, sir. It's nice to see you again."

Luna and Kyle were a sight for sore eyes. He loved Junpei and Quark more than he could ever show, but his family on Rhizome-9 meant the world to him too.

"Kyle, I heard its your 18th birthday next week. Exciting!" Carlos walked over to them and grabbed a pool stick to join the two of them. 

"It is. I'm looking forward to it." Birthdays meant nothing on Rhizome-9. Age didn't really matter at all, not when arbitrary goals like being able to drive, become a legal adult, or drink were completely meaningless. While Kyle wasn't able to drink (until 25, Sigma claimed. Says the brain isn't fully developed until then, or something like that) he basically had every freedom Rhizome-9 provided. Whatever he wanted, he could do, as long as it was in the bounds of the facility. Kyle's excitement was mostly due to the fact that, for once, Akane and Sigma stopped working for a day and would throw a party. Four times a year, there was no work happening on Rhizome-9, and those days were Kyle's favorites. 

"September 27th- it's gonna be a great day. I brought you some gifts, but you'll have to wait to open them." Kyle's eyes lit up the same way Maria's would whenever Carlos would bring her takeout or her favorite snacks after a long day.

"Thank you. I look forward to opening them next week."

"And Luna," Carlos drew his stick, lining it up to hit the cue ball, "I won't make you wait until December. I brought some nice fabric for you, I know how much you and Akane like making clothes with it."

Luna was beaming. Her and Kyle had always seemed to enjoy Carlos' visits up every few months, especially when he came not only bearing supplies, but gifts. Old records, toys for Kyle (back when he was younger, of course) snacks that weren't made anymore… it didn't matter what. Carlos' visits brought some well needed changes to Rhizome-9, and he loved them just as much as Kyle and Luna did. 

"Though, I will say. I will be here for your birthday, Luna, as well as Akane's and Dr. Klim's." Carlos hit the cue ball with a  _ thwack.  _ Not a bad shot. 

"You're coming up that often?" Luna cooked her head slightly. Carlos usually came up once or twice a year, since anything else would set Junpei off. 

"Quite the opposite. I'm not leaving."

Both stared at him in a state of shared shock. Kyle had dropped his pool stick, but managed to catch it before it fell on his foot.

"You're.. not leaving? But don't you have Q-"

"It's been taken care of. I'm staying with you all until the start of the AB game, and maybe longer, depending on what happens after that."

"Do Dr. Klim and Ms. Kurashiki already know?"

"It was Akane's idea, actually. You all need an extra helping hand in setting up the game. I'm here to be that hand."

Before Carlos could say much else, Kyle's arms were wrapped around him in a hug, and Luna joined soon after. For that moment, he had no regrets. Junpei and Quark may have needed him, but so did Luna, Kyle, Akane, and Sigma. He would see Junpei and Quark again soon, after all.

A few minutes had passed, and the three of them had gone back to playing pool. Luna and Carlos were talking about what had been happening back on Earth, with some occasional remarks from Kyle, who was more focused on the game than anything else.

"That's game. Nice played, both of you." Kyle had made the last shot while Carlos and Luna were talking about the small Kansas town Junpei and Carlos found themselves in after the fallout had cleared up. 

"Nice shot. You've been practicing, kid?"

"Yeah. Luna's fun to play with, but I think Dad forgot to program the ability to play pool into her," he teased, Luna stifling a laugh, "Dad's pretty good, but he's better at darts. Said he did a lot of it back in college." Sounded about right for Sigma.

"I'm heading upstairs for a drink. Would you like to come with me?"

"I'll be right behind you. I'll help clean up, alright?" Carlos said that, and Kyle headed down the hall.

"Carlos, be honest with me," Luna's gone shifted to one much more serious than she usually used. "What about Junpei? He doesn't know what happened, does he? And what about Quark?"

With an exhausted sigh, Carlos told her the truth-

"He thinks I'm dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Kyle Klim. That's it. Send tweet.

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't good and I don't care. Ch1 is mostly a rewrite of Canon events- ch2 actually diverges from Canon and is where it actually gets interesting. Just needed to establish what was going on.


End file.
